Facing a World Other Than My Own
by Cloudstar36
Summary: Chasing a new enemy leads the Turtles into trouble, and Leonardo ends up captured! Familiar and new names; more then four mutant turtles? Where has he ended up? Leonardo desperately tries to find out, but he'll need some help from his new friends and, are they able to stop this new enemy before they take over New York? Based on the TMNT 2012 series :3 New chapters up!
1. Prologue

**Whee, new story! And don't say I gotta finish my other ones first! I've got Writer's Block on only them for some reason! *dies***

***revives self* Anyways, I hope you like this one. After watching T.C.R.I over and over again, I just randomly got a random idea…**

**… ****So excited for Season 2 ^^ Praying that somewhere in there is an origin episode; we need one!**

**Okay, on with story! :3**

* * *

This new enemy had come out of nowhere, and it seemed they weren't going to give up without a fight… but first, the Turtles had to catch them…

"Keep on their trail; do not give up!" Leonardo called, leaping over a building-ledge to keep up with the enemy. "We gotta stop them and find out what they're up to!"

"If we can catch them!" Donatello whimpered, falling into place beside his older brother. "Leo, they're too fast for us!"

"Keep running, Donnie; we can do this!" the leader urged, glancing back at their other brothers. Raphael and Michelangelo were keeping up at a steady pace, but they would soon fall behind. Coming to the corner of a street, Leonardo hastily held up his hand; stopping his brothers from going on.

"What's up, Fearless?" Raphael inquired, crouching beside Leonardo with a sturdy grip on his sai. "Danger lurking?"

"Nope… Our runaways got away!"

Donatello groaned a little and stood up, searching the area on his T-Phone map.

"… Corner of Delancy, but… hmm…" he murmured to himself, reconfiguring their position. Michelangelo wandered up behind him and peered over his shoulder.

"Something confusing ya, Donnie?" he asked with a slight giggle. The purple-masked turtle frowned.

"Yes, a little," he admitted, getting Raphael and Leonardo's attention. "That enemy is clearly marked on the map, but… they're nowhere in sight!"

"They're out here somewhere…" Leonardo insisted softly, kneeling on the edge of the building. Without warning, something suddenly leapt up and grabbed him around the middle; the blue-masked turtle flailing as he stumbled forward and was dragged down the building side.

"Argh!"

"Leo!" Raphael called, peering over and searching the darkness below them. At the glint of a katana-blade, he indicated into the alleyway. "We gotta get down there!"

Leading the way, the red-masked turtle hastily leapt down the building; Donatello and Michelangelo quickly following his lead. Curiously the orange-masked turtle walked over and picked up the katana.

"Definitely Leo's…" he admitted. Donatello nodded in agreement, looking around sceptically.

"But then, where is Leo?" he questioned. Something clicked in Raphael's mind and made him growl; the red-masked turtle slamming his fist into his hand.

"That creepy enemy got him, that's what! Why else would Leo leave his katana behind!? Well… one of them anyway…"

"And his gear…?" Donatello inquired softly, glancing back up the fire escape on the building-side. Sure enough; a blue mask, leather belt and straps and a katana-sheath hung from the railing; one only looking close enough to see they were specked with blood…

"W-What do you think happened to him?" Michelangelo whimpered, standing by Donatello as they watched Raphael climb up the fire escape to reclaim their brother's belongings.

"I… have no idea, Mikey… But no matter what, we're going to find him!"

* * *

**Prologue down; a numerous amount of chapters to go! Plz tell me what you think of this, guys!**

**BTWs stay tuned! The enemy will be revealed in the story!**


	2. Just like Me

**Oh yeah! In this chapter you might notice when I describe Leo, I've dropped the 'blue-masked' thingy like in the Prologue…**

**Reason being = he's not wearing his mask anymore, and it kinda felt out of place with the other characters in this chapter…**

**Anyway, enjoy readers!**

* * *

Chest rising and falling steadily, Leonardo slept without any knowing of where he was. When his mind came to, he could feel something cold and slightly scaly lying across his plastron and it felt as if whatever it was had their arms around him. With a soft whimper, the light-green turtle attempted to roll onto his side.

"G-Guys?" he called softly, managing to open his tired eyes… but in surprise they widened when he found what was lying on him. Another mutant turtle lay before him; her face holding a slight smile as she nuzzled close to him. Leonardo gently pushed her off him; the female turtle tumbling off him with a sharp whimper, making the light-green turtle wince.

"She… S-She doesn't look harmless…" he told himself.

"Most of us aren't… yet they all think so…"

Leonardo looked up at the voice, coming face-to-face with a violet-eyed turtle. He looked as tall as Donatello but as gruff and muscular as Raphael; the light-green turtle blinking in fright.

"Ahh, I can tell you're a new one," the olive-green turtle went on, holding out his hand. "Name's Seeker… and she-who-was lying on you is Lily…"

Leonardo took his hand and got up, nodding his head in thanks.

"I-I'm Leonardo," he said bravely. "… What is this place?"

"Kid, you'd be surprised if I told you," Seeker insisted, putting an arm around the younger turtle. "Look around and tell me what you see."

Leonardo looked around; his eyes first falling on the walls around them. It looked like they were in some sort of prison…  
But then he spied the others; turtles like himself. Bruised and hurt, shying away in shadows or sitting alone in the arena they were trapped in. He then locked eyes with a grass-green turtle approaching them; his amber-orange eyes pale and frightened.

"Leonardo, this here's Ace. He was the youngest the Golten caught before you came along…" Seeker explained, nodding his head towards the young turtle.

"The… Golten?" the leader wondered in confusion. Ace nudged his arm, indicating for him to follow.

"I'll explain everything, Leo… but listen once 'cause I'm not repeating…" he admitted, walking back the way he had come. Leonardo mouthed "thank you" to Seeker before turning and following the other teenager, watching their surroundings as they walked. Some of the older mutants had caught his glance and watched him; Leonardo sensing they felt sorry for him.

"So… what exactly is going on?" he asked Ace; the grass-green turtle stopping in his tracks and sitting down on a bench before them.

"Notice the number on your arm?" Ace said softly, showing Leonardo his own before the light-green turtle could find his. "They mean something, Leo, but the Golten will never tell us what…"

"Who _are _the Golten, Ace?" the leader asked in slight impatience. Ace looked up at him; his amber-orange eyes slightly stern.

"Half-lizard; half-wolf…" was the reply. "Sometimes they hunt to kill, but they want something from us turtles… and they're not going to stop kidnapping mutant turtles until they find it…"

Leonardo sat in thought while his new-found friend spoke. The way Ace described it sounded like the creatures he and his brothers were following in the alleyway. The light-green turtle blinked in fright.

"So… they are hunting us?"

Ace nodded and looked at the ground.

"Mostly leaders or the youngest of the litter…" he explained with a shaky sigh. "The Golten took me away from my family when I was only five years of age…"

The leader looked at him in concern, quietly setting a hand on the grass-green turtle's shoulder.

"Ace, I… I-I'm so sorry that happened to you…" he said softly.

"I-It's okay, Leo… After 12 years, you tend to forget about it…"

"That easy, huh?" Leonardo wondered, laughing a little when Ace cracked a smile and nodded.

"For me; yeah… Not so easy when you leave your brothers behind though…"

Leonardo stopped, blinking once Ace had finished his sentence. Brothers?

"You had siblings?" he questioned, sitting beside the grass-green turtle to hear more of his story.

"Sure did. They were both older than me, and before the Golten came they were the only ones who'd ever listen to what I'd have to say; Ma and Pa were always so busy," Ace explained, sighing shakily. "I've been away from them so long I fear they might have forgotten me… But enough about me; what about you? Got any siblings?"

"Y-Yeah… Three…" the light-green turtle replied, looking away and hugging his middle. After hearing what Ace had said, he hated the thought of not seeing his brothers again. "Raphael… D-Donatello and… M-M-Michelangelo…"

Ace smiled at the familiar Renaissance names but didn't dare ask anything. From the shakiness of his friend's voice, he knew Leonardo didn't want to talk about it. Soon enough he would…  
Ace only prayed Leonardo wouldn't end up the way he had. There had to be some way he could help his new friend…

* * *

**And I'll end this chapter on that note!**

**Phew… but dawwsie, Leo made a friend! ^^ … who's technically a year older than him but oh well…  
Yeah, Ace is 17 guys… Seeker's around about 30; I can't member…**

**Anyways! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter :3  
Stay tuned for the next!**


	3. More than I know

With Ace still wondering about his actions, Leonardo had become a little self-conscious about the silence that had fallen between them. The light-green turtle hastily shrugged off his nerves; getting to his feet once more and looking around a little.

"So Ace, uhh… who's everyone else in here?" he wondered, getting their minds off their family-troubles. Smiling slightly at the change of subject, Ace got up and pointed out the other turtles to him.

"You know Seeker and Lily," he started. "Over there's Cosmo and Dexter. The ladies near them are Sapphire, Maria and Sarah."

He then leaned towards Leonardo, covering his mouth with his hand.

"You don't wanna mess with Sarah. She's the eldest in here and really knows how to beat a guy up!"

Leonardo nodded, but his gaze was mainly focused on Maria. She looked familiar in a way, but he didn't know where he had seen her before.

"Uhh… Leo?"

The light-green turtle jerked backwards when Ace waved a hand in front of his face; the grass-green turtle sniggering softly.

"I'm not done yet. Follow me," he instructed, heading into a building on the far-side of the arena. Inside was lined with empty cages; each with a number above it.  
**Must be how they sort us…** Leonardo thought, spying one that read 'T6842'; the same number that Ace had on his arm.

"Yeah… That's mine," the grass-green turtle sighed, following his gaze. "Delightful isn't it…"

Peering inside, Leonardo spotted a single bed with a dusty mattress, a broken sink and a cracked window in the caged-room. Along the walls were scratched tally-marks; Ace probably counting how many days he'd been in there, but the light-green turtle was more fascinated by what he had used to scratch the tally-marks in; a three-bladed silver sai.

"So you do have a weapon," he pointed out in astonishment. Ace wandered into his cell and picked up the sai, twirling it in his hand with a proud nod.

"Yep. The Golten let us keep one when 'Torture' time comes…" he explained; a violent shiver running down his spine, causing the grass-green turtle's knees to buckle and he fell to the ground. Leonardo hastily run over and steadied him.

"W-What's… 'Torture' t-time?" he asked, a little afraid of it himself.

"You, really do not want to know…" Ace insisted, letting Leonardo help him up. "Because of… that…"

The light-green turtle nodded in understanding. It seemed something happened to them if they said the words 'Torture' time… Leonardo only wanted to find out the cause of that.

"So… where am I staying in this… shell-hole?" he questioned, cursing softly to himself. Ace laughed.

"I like your attitude, Leo… but, follow me again; I'll show you."

Hastily he lead the way to the other end of the cages, noting some of the other turtles were beginning to return; Seeker exchanging a weakened smile with Leonardo before he disappeared into his cage. The light-green turtle smiled back but his eyes were concerned. Seeker looked beaten badly since he'd last seen him… What had happened?

"Here, Leo…" Ace called out at last, pointing up to the number 'T7649' above them. "Hurry, the Golten guards will be coming through soon, and they don't like to see anyone out after lock-up time."

With that, the grass-green turtle bolted back to his cell; Leonardo cautiously stepping inside his own. Once inside, the door violently slammed behind him, causing him to jump in fright.

"S-So much for calming myself…" he muttered, shaking off his shudders. A low growl echoed down the hall; the leader guessing it was a Golten guard. "Ugh…"

The half-wolf; half-lizard slinked past his cage, hissing softly at being watched. Leonardo stepped back in fright and let the mutant return to his guarding. Hopelessly, the light-green turtle wandered over and collapsed onto his bed, coughing sharply as a dust-cloud rose up around him.

"Ace forgot to mention how dusty these things are… Never cleaned, never washed; something to get used to, kid…"

Leonardo sat up again and looked to his left. There was a window separating his cell and the one beside him; the frame itself barred to stop them getting through, but the light-green turtle could only blink at the dark-green turtle sitting opposite him; his aqua-green eyes shining through the darkness.

"… You gonna say something, or are you just gonna gawk at me?"

"S-Sorry, sorry… You, just look like my brother…" Leonardo apologised, shaking his head. "Who… W-Who are you?"

"They call me Callin. Never knew what my real name was…" the dark-green turtle explained with a soft grunt. "You?"

"Leonardo…"

"Ah… Know that name anywhere," Callin admitted with a slight grin. "Renaissance artist?"

Leonardo nodded, getting up off the bed to hear Callin more clearly. He leant against the window in question.

"Have… you been in here for very long?"

Callin looked up; the light-green turtle gasping sharply when he noticed the dark-green turtle was wearing an eye-patch over his right eye. Two lengthy scars ran down the right side of his face; still slightly red and healing.

"Very long? All my life I call it…" Callin groaned. "You're curious about that, I see…"

"N-Not really," Leonardo replied hastily. "M-My sensei told me to-…"

"It's okay, kid; I'm fine with ya askin'…" the older turtle put in, sighing softly as he traced the line of one of his scars. "Those Golten are tougher than you think…"

"You fought them?"

"Lost my eye from stupidity because of that…" Callin muttered: just loud enough for Leonardo to hear him. "Whatever you do, kid; don't do what I did. Snapped my katana from battling them…"

Leonardo let his eyes wander the room, spying the gold-handled katana under his bed. He hesitantly looked back at his own katana; the silver blade visible from where it lay on the sink opposite.

"You're a katana wielder too, huh?" he questioned. Callin slightly nodded.

"Yeah, but after that, I'm never touching a katana again…"

"Y-You shouldn't give up on yourself, Callin…" Leonardo said softly, hushing himself for a split second as the Golten guard walked past once more. "My sensei always told me to learn from your mistakes and train on them, no matter what the fault."

Callin looked from the blank wall in his cell to Leonardo and back again, thinking about what the young turtle had said. He was slightly curious to know who this 'sensei' was he kept talking about, but he might have had to ask questions later. Leonardo, on the other hand, was embracing the silence and peace, until… the lights in the corridor suddenly went out; engulfing everything in darkness…

* * *

**Meh… There's Chapter 2 – Meeting Callin  
Tell you one thing guys… Callin obviously has a secret, yes? We can see that…  
Soon enough we'll find out what it is when he gets to know Leo a bit more…**

**But for now, keep calm and cliff-hang – ponder about this secret if you must. I'll get back to you once I wash away my Writer's Block… again… *face-desks***


	4. Drawing the Line

**Writer's Block must have gone POOF! over the weekend….  
Anyways, here's Chapter 3!**

* * *

Donatello paced his lab; lost deeply in his thoughts. In his hand was his T-Phone; a map blinking up on the screen as he tried to track his older brother's whereabouts. As he paced, the tails of a blue mask continuously tickled his wrist, but the purple-masked turtle easily ignored it.

"Come on, Leo… Where are you?" he asked softly, turning and pacing back the way he had come. Michelangelo watched his brother from where he sat at the bench; his head resting on the table. Donatello had told him to try and find out what the creature was that took Leonardo, but the orange-masked turtle had simply given up and was moping instead.

"…Anything?" he asked. Donatello stopped pacing and sighed heavily, shaking his head.

"Nothing… This enemy could have taken Leo anywhere…" he explained, wandering over to his younger brother. "Let's just hope Raph's having better luck than us…"

"If he isn't, I'm gonna go out and help him."

"Just… be careful, Mikey…"

Raphael wasn't having much luck either; the red-masked turtle agreeing on staying above ground to search for their brother. He mostly searched around the corner of Delancy Street; the spot Leonardo had been taken.

"This'd be a lot easier if that freak had left a trail behind…" he muttered softly, searching around the alleyway for any other clues. At a scuffle above him, the red-masked turtle looked up in alarm.

"Huh!?"

"Chill bro; it's just me!"

Michelangelo stuck his head over the side of the building-ledge, grinning as he waved down to his older brother. Raphael groaned softly.

"If you've come to help, Mikey; hurry up and get down here!" he growled.

"Okay, okay! Be right down!" the orange-masked turtle exclaimed, ducking back onto the building. No sooner had he gone, Raphael heard a panicked shriek and a loud thud on the rooftop.

"Mikey?" the red-masked turtle inquired, walking right up to the building-base. "Come on, it doesn't take that long to get down a building!"

Looking up, he spied something orange fluttering against the side of the building. There were two more thuds up near the top fire-escape, and before Raphael knew it, Michelangelo's belt had fallen onto his head.

"Uh oh…"

Hastily he climbed the fire escape, somersaulting onto the roof and doing a quick scope around. Michelangelo was nowhere to be found…

"Mikey? Mikey!" Raphael called, beginning to grow worried about where his younger brother had disappeared to. Quickly picking up his gear and nunchucks, the red-masked turtle started to run back to their alleyway. "Gotta, get… Donnie!"

Donatello was still wound up in his lab when Raphael started to run home. The purple-masked turtle wasn't going to come out until he found some sort of answers about what had happened. Master Splinter watched him from the doorway of his lab; the rat beginning to worry about his sons. It seemed this enemy they had faced was only after turtles; meaning they were in great danger…

"Donnie!" Raphael called, bolting into the lair and running over to the lab; Splinter hastily stepping aside to let his son pass. Donatello approached Raphael in concern upon spying Michelangelo's gear and weapon in his hand.

"Raph… where's Mikey?" the purple-masked turtle questioned; his eyes growing concerned. Raphael panted softly as he placed their younger brother's mask, belt and weapon on the bench, all while trying to catch his breath.

"Whatever, caught Leo… must have got, Mikey…" he breathed, inhaling heavily and trying to relax. Donatello's eyes narrowed slightly.

"… That's where we draw the line…" he murmured in determination. "Kidnapping one brother is bad enough, but two? That's going too far!"

"Especially when it's Mikey…" Raphael insisted; both turtles pausing and glancing back at their sensei. Splinter was looking at the ground in thought, stroking his beard as he did so.

"My sons, you must find your brothers. Obviously your new enemy needs mutant turtles for a reason if they have already caught Leonardo and Michelangelo," he explained.

"Just think how many others they've managed to find…" Donatello said softly. "Probably hundreds that we never knew about!"

"Donnie…" Raphael muttered, putting his hands over his brother's on the bench. "You gotta stop yakking and start working. For all we know, Leo and Mikey's lives are at stake! We're… W-We're their only hope now…"

Donatello looked down in pity. He was getting caught up in things that didn't matter, and losing focus on those that did. Sighing softly, he looked back up at his older brother.

"Y-You're right, Raph… It's up to us to find Leo and Mikey," he repeated, glancing back at his T-Phone with a silent gulp. "W-Without getting caught ourselves…"

* * *

**I call it short-and-sweet… I think…  
But oh noes! Mikey's been captured too!  
He'll probably be T6944; one over from Leo… I forgot to mention last chapter that Callin was T6938… Heheh, whoops… **

**Anyways! It's now up to Raph and Donnie to rescue their brothers; the real question is, as Donnie said, can they do it without getting caught themselves?  
Stay tuned…**


	5. A bother of a brother

Leonardo woke to the sound of the cell-door beside him slamming shut. Sitting up, he quickly glanced at Callin, yet the dark-green turtle was still asleep. The light-green turtle frowned.

"If it wasn't Callin, then who-…?"

He was cut off at a sharp whimper and someone attempting to shake the cell-bars in fear. Before Leonardo could gather his thoughts, that someone spoke…

"L-Let me out!" they sobbed. "I… I-I wanna go home!"

The light-green turtle winced when the guarding Golten wandered past their cells and snarled at the turtle a cell down from him; it sounding like the youngster was backing up and crying softly to himself.

"L-L-Leave me a-alone, you b-big meanie…" he whimpered. At that, Leonardo's eyes widened in fright.

**No… **"M-Mikey?" he called softly. The sobbing stopped as the younger turtle heard his voice.

"T-That you, L-Leo?" Michelangelo whispered, biting his bottom lip in fright as his eyes watered more. Leonardo stuck his hand through the bars and cautiously waved his hand as a signal to his younger brother.

"It's okay, little brother… I promise you; we're going to get out of here…" he murmured.

"Who ya talking to, Leo?"

Leonardo glanced over his shoulder, finding Callin leaning against the other window-sill; his arms slipped through the bars. The light-green turtle pulled back and turned to face him, rubbing a mark that had come up on his skin from the bars.

"My little brother, Mikey…" Leonardo explained. "The Golten… must have caught him last night…"

"Is… I-Is that what they're called?" the emerald-green turtle inquired; clearly able to hear their conversation. "G-Golten?"

Leonardo nodded, looking back at Callin with confused eyes.

"Hey, aren't we supposed to be let out of here now?"

"Soon…" was Callin's reply. "Golten don't always run on schedule, kid…"

The leader groaned softly, staying by the tiny window between his cell and the next as he spun around and leant against the wall between them.

"I hope it's soon… I gotta ask Ace something…"

Michelangelo wandered over to where his tiny window was, peering through the bars at his older brother. Faintly he could see a number scorched into his arm. Wearily the emerald-green turtle stepped back and looked at his own; tracing the '9' on his forearm.

"Leo?" he asked.

"Yeah Mikey?"

"How… H-How'd they get these numbers on us, if we didn't feel them?" the emerald-green turtle went on in curiosity. Leonardo sighed softly.

"I don't know, Mikey… but I do know we have them for a reason…"

Michelangelo then squealed softly at the sound of a blaring bell, and then there was a loud thunk – the sound of the cells unlocking.

"Come on, Mikey…" Leonardo whispered, indicating 'out' to his brother; the emerald-green turtle nodding and following after him after he'd left his cell. Callin wandered out behind them, following the crowd of other mutant turtles to the Wreck Room. Leonardo held him and his brother back, turning down the opposite way to another row of cells. Coming across T6920, the light-green turtle curiously peered into the darkened cell.

"Seeker? Y-You in there?" he called. There was a soft grunt and the creak of springs as the olive-green turtle sat up; his pale-violet eyes watching Leonardo and Michelangelo with caution.

"What's up, kid? You better have woken me for a good reason…" he murmured.

"I… I-I was just wondering if you were okay…" the light-green turtle explained softly. "You didn't look well earlier…"

Seeker managed a slight smile; hidden to the two ninja turtles. He felt a little pleased to be cared for again.

"I'm fine, Leo; just a dizzy spell, but I'm used to them," he admitted. "Nothing to worry about."

"A-Are you gonna come out?" Michelangelo put in before his brother could say anything. Seeker frowned.

"You don't sound like Leonardo…"

"I-I'm M-M-Michelangelo, s-sir… His y-younger brother…"

"Aye… This ain't good…" Seeker insisted, getting to his feet and walking over to the two turtles; Mikey ducking behind his older brother when the light caught onto the olive-green turtle. "If they find out you're siblings, there'll be trouble…"

Leonardo and Michelangelo exchanged a glance; ocean-blue and baby-blue eyes concerned and worried.

"Why? What's wrong with it?" Leonardo wondered. Seeker exhaled heavily and stepped out of his cell, letting the door swing shut behind him as he led the two young turtles to the Wreck Room along with the others.

"You wanna know why they go after the youngest as well as the leaders, kid?" he questioned, pushing open a door. Leonardo held it open as he and Michelangelo slipped through; the emerald-green turtle then gripping onto his brother's hand tightly, afraid of what they were going to hear.

"The leaders are used as gladiators out in the field. Some hardly survive it," Seeker insisted, indicating down to an arena below them. Through dusty-clouds, one could see two mutants in battle; either one definitely not fit to fight. "I was once one of them, until I got too old for it… Only those in their 20's are ever gladiators…"

"So… what happens to the younger ones?" Michelangelo inquired, hastily following as the elder turtle pushed through another door. Down the corridor to one side was a line of adolescent turtles that looked around about the same age as the ninja turtles; all looking a bit under-fed and injured.

"Juniors your age…" Seeker paused and nodded at Leonardo. "… Are sent in for slave-work. Apparently you start sometime this week… Ace'll be with ya' so you'll be fine, kid."

They cautiously walked past the teenaged turtles and headed into the next section; a big metal wall separating them from whatever was on the other side. Michelangelo was just about to ask his question again, but a blood-curling scream cut him off; the emerald-green turtle shivering in fright.

"L-Leo…?" he whimpered; the light-green turtle hastily pulling him into a tight hug.

"Ignore it, Mikey; t-try to ignore it…" he whispered. Seeker looked at them both and sighed sadly.

"What you hear is what happens to the little ones… Such a horrible thing they do to the young kids…" he admitted with a shudder. "Leave them locked behind the wall with a deranged Golten for a whole week. If none of them survive, they send a new lot in… Here come the guards now…"

"A-And… how old are those turtles?" Leonardo asked, wincing as Michelangelo tightened his grip around him.

"Always been up to 14; has been, will be…"

The emerald-green turtle broke into tears, shaking violently in his older brother's arms. Leonardo hugged him tightly and looked up at Seeker with frightened eyes.

"Mikey's only 14… I-I'm not letting them take him away from me!" he cried, straining his voice a little. Seeker watched in pity, looking over as the Golten guards passed them with four other crying and screaming turtle-children; one of them a young turtle-tot. Leonardo winced at the sight. The children shouldn't have to face their end this way… Not yet at least….  
His eyes widened in fright when one of the Golten guards indicated towards him and Michelangelo. The light-green turtle panicked.

"Mikey, run…" he whispered. The emerald-green turtle held his grip on him.

"N-No…"

"Run!" Leonardo demanded; the Golten growling softly as they walked towards them. Michelangelo quickly caught on and pulled away from his older brother, backing up in fright as the two creatures approached him. Leonardo groaned softly and bolted through them, grabbing his brother's arm and running off; Seeker watching them as the Golten took chase…

"Oh no you don't!"

The elder turtle looked over in fright as Ace leapt out of nowhere, landing on the back of one of the Golten and grabbing onto its ears; the creature breaking into growls and snarls as it tried to shake him off.

"Coming through!" Callin exclaimed, copying the younger turtle's action and grabbing the second Golten. Leonardo pulled Michelangelo to a stop; both ninja turtles watching in awe as the two turtles distracted their deadly foes.

"They're g-good…" the emerald-green turtle insisted, still a little shaky from being chased. Leonardo nodded his head in agreement.

"Ace and Callin will get themselves into anything for another turtle…" he admitted, cracking a small smile when he saw the gleaming-gold katana in Callin's hand. So much for not touching it ever again…

"Turtles, we must leave; now!" Seeker commanded, approaching them from a hidden tunnel. "This way, quickly."

Leonardo and Michelangelo nodded, hastily following their new friend down the tunnel. The light-green turtle glanced back as the light disappeared behind them. He only hoped Ace and Callin would make it out of their ambush alive…

* * *

**… Mikey will eventually end up trapped with the deranged Golten, guys… You just have to read a little more before I say when…  
And no, I'm not spoiling what happens! . **

**But… I can say the time he goes in; Leo, Ace and Callin start their 'slaving' duties…  
Basically if you didn't catch on when Seeker explained it:  
Gladiators – Aged 20 to 29 (young adults)  
Sent for slavery – Aged 15 to 19 (adolescents)  
'Fed to the Golten' – Aged 14 and younger (kids)  
… Yes, Mikey is only 14 in this story; Donnie's 15, and Raph and Leo are 16… **

**Anyway, I'm gonna stop talking now and go write the next chapter before I give away anymore spoilers…**


	6. Pulling on the Gears

Nightfall… A pitch-black and dangerous time for turtles in this 'detention' centre: many mentioning it felt like home without the light, but others feared to even fall asleep. The Golten were always on guard, and Seeker had mentioned stories of turtles being dragged out of their cells by the guards when they lost control; those turtles never to be seen again.  
Leonardo and Michelangelo told themselves not to believe the story, but… when you're trudging around the grounds at night with three turtles who know the place like the back of their shells and there are goodness-knows-how many Golten around, well… You'd probably get how scared they felt now…

"So Dex, what's your estimated guess this time?" Ace asked as the five of them crawled under a low pipe-system; Michelangelo gulping when he realised the elder turtle was leading them in the direction of where the deranged Golten was.

"Be quiet, young one…" Dexter hissed; the olive-green turtle crouching low and scanning their surroundings. "Did I not tell you about the Golten's hearing? Next thing you know, one of us will probably be dead if you keep talking!"

The emerald-green turtle huddled against his brother; Leonardo comfortly reassuring Michelangelo with a tight hug as they began to walk on. They reached the room of the trapped Golten; effortless, heavy breaths and panicked chattering coming from behind the wall. Dexter cautiously stood up, listening as he rested his head against the wall.

"…Sounds like there's two left in there… One suffering an infection from the Golten's bite; the other… Yikes…" he stepped back and winced. Leonardo looked up in confusion.

"What's wrong, Dexter?"

"The other one's sounding in real pain…" the olive-green turtle went on; his orange eyes pained in the darkness. "Callin; Ace, you two know the drill; quickly and quietly."

Light-green and emerald-green followed Dexter as the elder turtle lead them over to a control pad; Ace and Callin quietly kneeling beside the door that opened to the trap-room.

"What are they gonna do?" Michelangelo inquired in a whisper. Dexter tapped at the control pad as he answered.

"We're on a rescue mission, Mikey… If I hack this…" he paused and nodded to the two turtles; Ace and Callin ducking into the trap-room as the door slid open slightly before them. "They can get in, but… the Golten can't get out."

The ninja turtles watched in awe as their friends slid back out of the room; Ace almost immediately getting to his feet and waving a hand above his head; Dexter hastily closing the door once more. Safe of the Golten's grasp, Ace and Callin soon joined them; the injured turtles in their arms shivering in fright. Dexter knelt beside the younger one; the one who's arm had been infected by the creature's bite.

"I'll get that sorted for you, little one," he said softly, examining the bite. "That mean old Golten's not gonna hurt you anymore."

The young turtle giggled and gave him a thank-you hug, grateful to be free from the horrible room. Callin still held the other turtle; she had fainted in his arms, yet there was a large gash up her side and across her plastron, still bleeding quite badly.

"Looks like this one was hurt today, Dex…" the dark-green turtle insisted. Michelangelo winced a little at the sight of her, watching curiously as Dexter set to work on trying to clean her up. The emerald-green turtle could only think about what had happened if he'd been stuck with the Golten; would he have made it out alive?  
He shuddered and hugged Leonardo tightly with a sharp whimper; Dexter looking up after he'd wrapped a cloth around the female turtle's middle.

"Your brother's quite a frightened one, Leo…" he admitted, letting Callin and Ace handle the injured turtles as he walked over to the ninjas.

"He really doesn't want to spend a week with the deranged Golten… Apparently their forcing him in tomorrow from what I heard…" Leonardo explained, rubbing Michelangelo's shell as the emerald-green turtle started sobbing softly.

"No kid does, I never did when I was his age…" the elder turtle sighed.

"Wait, they fed you to the Golten!?"

"Always do when the kids come in. I was only 13 at the time, and from day one they kept me in there to see if I'd survive it," Dexter explained, leading the way back to their cells; Ace and Callin cautiously following behind them. "Two years later at 15; they sent me straight in to slavery. But I'd had enough… The deranged Golten had hit me hard…"

Walking behind him, Leonardo could see the many scars across the elder turtle's shell, as well as the places he'd either been bitten or bruised; the most noticeable being a large chunk missing from the left side of his shell.

"… The Golten broke through your shell…" the light-green turtle murmured; Dexter nodding.

"Sure as shell he did and I'm in pain every night when I sleep on it," he went on. "And this happened… Like, 6 years ago? I don't know… but whatever that Golten does to ya, it's permanent. And because of that, they kept me off slavery for a year, but then it was straight back on. And now… I'm stuck with the gladiators; risking my life out there in the arena almost every single day…"

"So… I-I'm guessing t-there's no such t-thing as mercy here…" Michelangelo wondered, rubbing his tear-stained eyes and falling slightly silent as they headed back through the cells.

"Nup… And the Golten never want to hear it," Dexter whispered, signalling to Ace and Callin to get back to their own cells while he led Leo and Mikey on. "… I know what it feels like to be dragged out of your shell… The Golten aren't pleasant in the process…"

The two brothers exchanged a nervous shudder.

"Well then, let's never mention the word mercy…" Leonardo insisted; suddenly running into Dexter when he stopped. "Dex?"

"Shh!" the elder turtle hissed, indicating in front of them. Michelangelo peered around him and gulped; his and Leonardo's cell directly opposite them, but…

"It's a Golten!"

* * *

**DUN-DUN-DUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!  
And no! Idk why the chapter's called 'Pulling on the Gears'! Maybe it's cause Dexter is a techno-freak like Donnie :3 **

**But yay, we know more about another character ^^  
Poor Dexie… *hugs him* The Golten really do hate turtles if they've done that…**

**BUT! Speaking of Donnie, his turtle-brain's still ticking away at the whereabouts of their brothers, and it won't stop until he finds out where they are! **

**So, will we find this out next chapter? Stay tuned…**


	7. Finding what we're looking for

Donatello sat at his workbench; his head resting against the surface. The purple-masked turtle felt like giving up. He'd tried every kind of tracking mechanism to find his brothers, but had still come up empty. He groaned softly in pity, whimpering sharply at his failure.

"I've tried and tried, but I can't find anything!" he winced, putting his hands over his head. While he was slightly punishing himself, Raphael happened to quietly walk past; the red-masked turtle peering into the lab in confusion.

"Donnie?" he questioned. "Everything okay, little brother?"

Donatello didn't lift his head. He only sighed in dismay and shuddered as his older brother walked over.

"I-I can't find them, R-Raph….. I-I failed…"

"Hey, no you haven't…" Raphael said softly, putting a hand on his brother's shell. "You gotta keep trying… We'll find them."

"… How is y-your surface-searches g-going?"

Raphael winced a little as he changed the subject, and slightly shook his head.

"I'm coming up with nothing, Don… Those creepy creatures haven't left any trace or anything behind!" he growled, slamming his fist down beside his brother; Donatello lifting his head in fright. "For all I care, we should just get captured and try, find them and escape ourselves!"

"Raphael… Your rash attitude towards finding your brothers will not get you anywhere…"

At the sound of Splinter's voice, the two turtles glanced towards the door; their sensei walking towards them with soft steps.

"But what else can we do, Sensei? We're finding nothing…" the red-masked turtle insisted. Donatello looked up with a slight frown as something beeped on his computer.

"Or maybe… we have found something, yet we just don't know it…" he spoke up, directing his gaze back to the screen and hastily typing something into the system. Raphael peered over his shoulder with slight hope.

"Whatcha got Donnie?" he asked; Donatello pointing out something on the screen from a surface security-camera.

"Any idea what that freak is?"

"Nope, but… Look what he found…"

The two turtles peered closely at the screen, watching the creature slink around an alleyway. In a matter of seconds, he retrieved a young mutant turtle from behind a pile of old crates; the turtle screaming in fright. Donatello scowled.

"The poor thing… but, I want to get a closer look at this creature…" he insisted determinedly, hastily shutting the laptop and getting up. A paw on his shoulder made him stop.

"My son, it's too risky. You saw what that mutant is after, and, what could happen if he got to you? Neither of you are to leave here, do you understand?" Splinter told them sternly; his voice slightly shaky as he spoke.

"But… what about Mikey and Leo?" Donatello inquired with a soft whimper. Splinter shook his head.

"I will not allow to lose another son."

Raphael sighed heavily, thinking of a way to get around this.

"But Sensei, you've trained us in the art of stealth and silence… We can do this," he explained, sounding a little annoyed. "If me and Donnie stay together, we won't get caught… Trust me."

Splinter remained silent, thinking about the red-masked turtle's words. Could he trust them? He'd trusted them enough to go up to the surface in the first place, and not cause harm. That had… slightly worked…

"… We just wanna find out what happened to our brothers, S-Sensei…" Donatello said softly. Splinter stopped and sighed heavily, stroking his beard as he thought.

"If you must, my sons. But if you do end up getting caught, I… I…" the rat paused, thinking of the words to tell his sons. Donatello set a hand on his arm before he could speak; the purple-masked turtle smiling softly.

"Y-You will come after us, w-won't you?" he inquired. Splinter shuddered, hesitantly pulling the both of them into a loving hug.

"I will, my sons; I… w-will…" he stammered. Raphael and Donatello exchanged a nervous glance. They knew how shaken Splinter had been after losing his daughter. They weren't going to allow their sensei any more pain….

"Donnie, let's go," the red-masked turtle said at last, cautiously pulling away from Splinter. Donatello nodded nervously, hesitating a little as he leant back and tugged at the knot in his mask; letting it unravel before he handed it to the rat.

"… If we don't make it back…" he murmured, turning away to grab his bò staff and a few spare weapons. Raphael hesitated and cautiously did the same.

"Good luck… my sons…" Splinter called as he watched them leave the lair, tightly gripping onto his sons' masks. Raphael and Donatello cautiously ventured through the sewers, praying that they would prevent getting caught.

"Hey Don?"

"Yeah Raph?"

"What happens if we, you know… don't make it back to Splinter?" the dark-green turtle inquired softly, shuddering a little as they waded through the shallow water. Donatello stopped walking and let him catch up before reassuringly putting an arm around his older brother.

"We will make it back," he admitted determinedly, wandering over to a ladder and starting to climb it. "I-I hope…"

"Wait…" Raphael warned, stopping his brother from lifting the manhole-cover. "We don't know where that thing is…"

"Yes… We do…" Donatello said with a smile, pulling out his T-Phone. "Have you forgotten who I am?"

Raphael sniggered.

"Fine… Where is he, turtle-with-a-ridiculously-high-IQ?"

Donatello rolled his eyes, gripping onto the rung of the ladder with one hand as he scanned over his T-Phone; slightly frowning.

"It says that thing is right above us, but… the cameras didn't even show the manhole-cover at all," he admitted, shaking the phone slightly to see if he was getting the right readings. "That's not right!"

"Well, even if we don't know where he is, we're ready for him," Raphael insisted with a slight growl. "Crack open that cover, Donnie!"

The grass-green turtle cautiously nodded and pushed against the manhole-cover; wincing as it clattered from its position in the ground. Hastily he looked around.

"Coast's clear; let's go."

Climbing out of the manhole, the two turtles hastily ducked behind the crates they had seen before, waiting for anything to strike or jump out at them. But there was nothing… Except for the hiss of something at the end of the alleyway…

"There! What's that!?" Donatello pointed out, catching a glimpse of their mysterious turtle-hunter.

"I don't know, but let's follow him!"

"Right!"

Weapons in hand, the turtles charged after the creature: the startled Golten hesitantly bolting off through the city streets. They followed it over roads, up the rooftops and even across a few small rivers, but Donatello and Raphael would not give up until they tracked down the place where mutant turtles had been disappearing to. Suddenly, the Golten disappeared from sight after ducking around a corner; Raphael bringing his brother to a halt at a dead end.

"I knew it'd lead us here!" he muttered, whacking the wall-side of a building with his fist in anger. Donatello only whipped his T-Phone back out and started another scan of the area, wandering over to the wall creating a dead-end and putting his hand against it.

"Energy signals are coming from the other side of this wall…" he insisted, trailing his fingers over the bricks until he came across one that felt out of place; the grittiness noticeable against his skin. "Hmm…"

Pushing against the brick, the wall suddenly gave way and tumbled to the ground; Donatello putting his hands over his head to prevent getting hit. He took them away again when he heard Raphael sniggering softly in front of him; the dark-green turtle kicking at a small rock that had fallen from the wall when it collapsed.

"Nice going, Donnie; you broke it," he pointed out sarcastically. "Now you're gonna have to fix it…"

"I'm not really concerned about that right now, Raph…"

At his words, his older brother fell silent and directed his gaze the same way the grass-green turtle was looking. On the other side of the wall, the inside was lined with cells; some left ajar and open, others locked tight. What startled Donatello the most was the creatures locked up inside them…

"Turtles!"

* * *

**Stop :3**

**Technically this chapter isn't finished, but I wanted to stop to hold suspense… I think…  
So, looks like Raph and Donnie managed to find the kidnapped mutants without getting caught themselves… but, maybe that might not be the ideal for the rest of the story…**

**What do you think readers? **

**… Stay tuned…**


	8. Beastly Broken

Another day of running circles… Another day of scars…  
Michelangelo couldn't take it, yet he and three other young turtles were left alive with the deranged Golten; the rest, killed…  
The three turtles with him were around about 8, 10 and 14, and only from being left in there for a day, all of them were covered with bleeding cuts and bruises.

"Can't take any longer…" one of them whimpered; Mikey soon learning that he was Copper; the colouring of his shell fitting nicely with his name.

"We can make it through, little dude…" the emerald-green turtle admitted bravely. "Cadence; Asher, how are you guys holding up?"

"I-If I wasn't bleeding t-to death, I'd b-beat the freak up r-right now…" Cadence whimpered; the 14-year-old turtle tightly clutching a deep wound on her right arm from where the Golten had scratched her; Asher helpfully aiding her and making sure she didn't pass out.

"Don't…" Michelangelo insisted softly, sitting on the high-ledge the four had perched on and looking down at the Golten. "You can tell he's waiting…"

Cadence winced, shakily stepping away from Asher and sitting beside him.

"Fun…" she muttered. "My guess is we'll all be on our death beds by tomorrow morning…. Those things can climb if they're sober…"

"He's most certainly not…" the emerald-green turtle pointed out, indicating towards the Golten, who was stumbling about and running into the left corner of the room every now and then. "Looks like he's a little beat up himself…"

"… Mikey, you just gave me an idea!" Cadence insisted, completely ignoring the pain in her arm. "I think I know how we can beat that thing at its own game, without getting ourselves killed!"

"How?" the other three turtles inquired in confusion.

"Well, you're a ninja aren't you?" the light-green turtle went on; Michelangelo nodding. "Ever played the game of distraction before running up a wall?"

"I can't do that! These walls are highly unclimbable!" Mikey put in; alarmed. "Count me out!"

"Walls are unclimbable except for this one…" Asher admitted softly, pointing down at the wall they were above. "If wall was slippery like others, we'd be dead now…"

Michelangelo blinked.

"Kid's got a point…" he insisted, kneeling down on their ledge and keeping watch of the Golten. "What's the rest of your plan, Cadence?"

"We'll be the ones playing distraction, running in circles around the stupid creature," Cadence explained, circling her hand a little. "Then while it's distracted, you grab the key."

She then pointed up to a ledge above them; the glinting of a silver key reflecting against a sun-roof in the ceiling.

"Think you can get it?"

"I-I can try…" the emerald-green turtle gulped, following the others back down to the ground. The Golten's ears perked up when it heard them; immediately spinning around and charging towards the turtles. Before any of them could react, it had jumped up and grabbed Copper; the 8-year-old turtle screaming as he was brought to the ground with a thud. Cadence, Mikey and Asher turned away at the sound of his shell getting crushed by the Golten's jaws.

"Poor little dude…" Michelangelo said softly, jumping down onto the ground, soon followed by Cadence. Already she was wincing at the bodies of the other dead turtles lying around them.

"Ew… Do they ever clean this place?"

"Nope…" Asher concluded, keeping his eye on the Golten. It seemed to have given up on Copper and was sniffing out something else. Asher's eyes widened. "Cadence… back up the wall…"

"Why?" the light-green turtle scowled. "I am not stepping out of this one!"

Michelangelo watched with wide eyes as the Golten turned his head back towards them, snarling as it spun around and stalked towards them. Then the emerald-green turtle spied the wound on Cadence's arm; it still freshly bleeding…

"KD, I-I'd do as Ash says… Get up the wall…" he repeated, taking a step back. Asher glanced over at him and nodded his head; Michelangelo beginning to sneak off sideways around the wall.

"Mikey, don't!" Cadence cried, alerting the Golten; the creature shooting a deadly growl at the emerald-green turtle as Asher slapped a hand over Cadence's mouth. Michelangelo whimpered as he backed into the wall; the Golten approaching without hast. He looked extremely hungry…  
Waiting until just the right moment, Michelangelo jumped up and tried to grab the ledge behind him, but to his horror he fell short and landed again, just missing the snapping jaws of the Golten.

"RUN!" he screamed to Asher and Cadence; the two turtles immediately bolting off, back over to the sturdy wall they had rested on. Michelangelo dashed over to follow them, but the Golten was quicker. It reached forward and locked its jaws around the rim of the emerald-green turtle's shell; Mikey whimpering in fright. He heard a shuddering crack and struggled to kick the creature in the neck. Result? Success!

"Don't mess with a ninja turtle!" he called teasingly, not expecting the Golten to charge right at him and head-butt him in the plastron; the emerald-green turtle colliding with the back wall in a sharp whimper of pain. The Golten came at him again, keeping him pinned to the ground from where he'd fallen. Michelangelo weakly looked up; his eyes watering as he stared into the blackness of the creature's eyes. The Golten growled, noticing he was weak and, instead of going to finish him, it started clawing at the ninja's plastron; Michelangelo crying out in pain as he tried to dodge each scratch.

"We gotta help him," Cadence whimpered, watching what was happening from underneath the ledge. Asher nodded and with a soft grunt, he ran forward and leapt onto the Golten's back, hoisting the creature back into a rearing position by its ears. The Golten howled; Cadence finding her chance and sprinting over to Michelangelo. With Asher distracting the Golten, the female turtle knelt beside their injured friend; noting the scratches were deep and his shell was badly damaged. Cautiously she got him up; the emerald-green turtle having no strength to stand as he collapsed again.  
**This is it… I'm gone… **he thought, unconsciously closing his eyes. **Goodbye… bros…**

* * *

**… too much gory? Maybe…  
Meh… Let's go back and see what Raph was doing cause, he was meant to find Mikey…**

**Next chappie will be told in Raph's P.O.V BTWs…**


	9. What will I find

**Raphael's P.O.V  
**Running through these cells is like a maze. I've seen no sign of Mikey since I split up with Donnie. I only hope he's found Leo, for all I care…  
Maybe there's someone around who can help me, but these cells all look empty and any other turtle I find is too young or looks too weak to talk. Looks like I'm finding the guys myself…

"You look lost. Need a hand with anything?"

I spun around in alarm, drawing my sai and pointing it at the guy behind me with a slight growl. Another turtle, wonderful… Reminds me a little of Leo…

"Heh… Nice sai…" he commented; his hands up in defence. "Now, uhh… I asked if you need a-…?"

"I heard what you asked…" I insisted with a sharp growl. "Who are you?"

The light olive-green turtle relaxed a little and lowered his hands, cautiously pushing my sai away from his neck.

"Name's Zachariah; I really do prefer Zac though," he explained. "You are?"

"Raphael…" I answered blankly, putting away my sai and looking him over. "You look beat…"

In that small moment I'd looked over him, I noticed Zac had scars covering his arms and legs. He also had a chip at the front of his plastron, like I did, but it was on the right side; not the left.

"It's not that big of a deal," he insisted. "Just a few scars and bruises here and there, but I'm fine… In what situation did you get chipped?"

Shell, he noticed it… I guess it's not that hard to notice a chip in your plastron anyway…

"Back when I was younger actually…" I explained, continuing on with my search as I spoke. "My older brother's fault…"

Zachariah laughed softly and followed after me, coughing softly as we walked past the arena.

"Aren't older brothers fun? I was actually surprised that mine cared about me," he insisted, wincing suddenly and pulling me back into an empty cell as one of those freaky creatures walked past us. "T-That was close…"

"Dude, what are those things?" I questioned, realising they must have been what captured Leo and Mikey.

"Golten; and you might have noticed, they hate turtles…" Zac explained, keeping watch as he stuck his head out of the cell. "Might wanna get out of that fancy ninja-gear you've got there…"

I glanced down at my gear when he spoke; belt, bandages and knee/elbow guards. What was wrong with them? Every other turtle around here was-… Oh, right…

"… They took everything off you guys, didn't they…" I guessed; Zachariah nodding.

"Yeah… Sometimes, they take our lives…"

"Tough life…" I muttered, hastily unbuckling my belt and dropping it on the ground. As I went to undo my knee-guards, I felt a little uneasy taking off the bandages wrapped around my knees. Those freaky Golten wouldn't attack me for that, would they?

"Hey look, we've got more in common than I thought we would," Zac admitted, indicating down to the bandages wrapped around his own knees. "Stuffed are they?"

Nervously I nodded. Man, I hate my condition… Especially when someone brings it up…

"Yeah, thought so… A pain in the shell it is when they lock and you're stuck cowering in pain for hours. Sometimes, I've ended up dislocating one cause of that…"

"You really like telling stories, don't you…" I put in with an inaudible growl, following him again as we made our way out of the building.

"I've had no one to talk to for 13 years…" Zachariah admitted, facing me blankly. "'T6954' died 14 years ago…"

"T6954?" I inquired in confusion.

"Code Name… His real name was Chester; nice guy too," Zac went on, sitting on a bench and watching the turtles move about around us. He sat back with a heavy sigh, taking in the outside air. From what I gathered, this was their only time to be free before having to be locked up again. It looked like Zachariah himself hadn't seen sunlight in weeks!  
Letting him fall in the moment, I decided to wander around to get a closer look at things. The walls around this place were as tall as the buildings back in the city, but there was no roof over the top of this arena, so sunlight easily flowed in. As I was admiring the sights of it, someone stumbled and ran into me, knocking us both to the ground. Man, can I tell ya the delight when I saw them though!

"Well, did ya find Leo?" I inquired with a smirk, gently bonking the grass-green turtle over the head. Donnie rolled off me and laughed, happily rolling onto his shell as he looked up.

"Sure did! He's over with Ace and Callin," my brother admitted, cowering into giggles. I looked down at him in confusion before glancing over to where he'd pointed to; three turtles around about my age settled in the shaded area next to the building-wall. I left Donatello where he was before jogging over to them.

"Leo!" I called, cracking a small smile when the light-green turtle lifted his head. My older brother stumbled as he got to his feet and approached me, happily accepting the worried hug I gave him before I hastily pulled away; wincing at the pain of a fresh cut on my wrist.

"I s-should've probably warned you a-about my chipped shell-plate, huh…" Leonardo stammered; his hands shaking slightly as he took my hand and examined the cut. I could only stare at him; my eyes wide in surprise. He looked as worse as Zachariah did, minus the amount of scars on his arms. Fresh wounds were noticeable across the back of his thighs and shell. As he grabbed something off one of the other turtles, I stopped him from cleaning my wound with it.

"Leo, what have they done to you?" I asked sternly; the joy of seeing him disappearing from my eyes. "You're hurt real bad."

"Raph, it's nothing…" he protested softly. "Now give me your wrist back…"

"No Leo…" I insisted, grabbing his wrists to stop him from doing anything else. "Answer my question… truthfully…"

The two other turtles; I'm guessing were Ace and Callin, backed away from us; almost immediately as Donatello ran over and hugged us both.

"Now we're all stuck in this crazy place!" he giggled, looking a little dazed as he tightened the hug. With a sharp growl, I pulled out of his grip, grabbed his arm and flipped him onto his shell all in one quick movement.

"You, snap out of it! What is wrong with you, Donnie!?"

Leonardo reassuringly grabbed my arm; his eyes glistening with fear.

"Listen Raph… Hurting him won't do anything. Calm down…" he told me, cautiously letting go of my arm. I looked down at Donatello; my younger brother now whimpering in pain from the impact. Hesitantly I held out a hand to him.

"Sorry Don…"

He shakily took my hand and got up, now looking just as bleak as Leo did.

"You… wanna know what's going on, huh?" he inquired, looking over at Leonardo; who instructed us to sit down with him.

"It's a long story, Raph… Really, really long…" he admitted. "Donnie's; maybe not so long, but mine; long and painful…"

I looked at Donnie sceptically.

"You tell first," I insisted, nudging him. "What's the deal? You were fine when we got here."

"Yeah, about that… After we split up, I ran into Leo's two friends; Cosmo and Dexter, who helped me to actually find him. Then we ran into the Golten and well, they could kinda tell that I hadn't been Marked…" my younger brother explained.

"Marked?" I wondered. Leonardo indicated to the number on his arm.

"Whenever they catch a new turtle, this gets burned into their skin…" he explained. "I'm guessing you're knocked out when they do it cause neither me or Mikey felt it when they burned our numbers on."

"Speaking of little brother, where is Mikey, Raph?" Donatello questioned, looking back at me. "You did say you'd find him."

I facepalmed; I'd been too busy talking to Zachariah to find Mikey, and I hadn't even thought of continuing the search.

"That's not the first thing I forgot to do today!"

A startled whimper from Leonardo caught our attention again; my older brother nervously biting his lip.

"If you two have come as 'rescue party', I say we 'rescue' quickly," he insisted, getting to his feet once more. "Mikey's been fed to the deranged Golten, and we have to hurry if we want him to stay alive!"

* * *

**Brothers reunited; yay! ^^  
But it's not all celebration until they find Mikey… Hurry, turtles hurry!**

**And yes, before you say anything, Zachariah won't be mentioned again for a while… *le-sigh* Why do I have so many characters!? This is bad!**

**Oh well… Next chapter will probs be about their escape… cause already this has taken up like 34 Microsoft Word pages, and it's only (now) 9 chapters plus Prologue… woah!**

**Now I take up the time to thank everyone for the reviews *le-clap* and such-and-such…  
… And stop rambling on cause you all probably want to know if Mikey's okay, right? **

**Well then… Let's continue :3**


	10. More than One

Asher lay exhausted on the Golten; a sharp rock speared through the side of its neck. The dark-green turtle was covered in bruises from being 'bucked' around and now his hands hurt from holding on for so long to the creature's ears. He looked over to where Cadence sat with a still unconscious Michelangelo before her. From the skylight above, one could see that night had already fallen, and each turtle desperately needed rest.

"Asher…" Cadence said softly, looking in her friend's direction. "You know what you've done, buddy?"

The dark-green turtle shook his head, crawling off the Golten and wandering over to her and Michelangelo. Cadence invited him to sit down and she cautiously put an arm around him; Asher nuzzling close to her.

"You just saved the lives of many other young turtles like us, little brother…" she cooed, rubbing his arm. "Hopefully, there aren't any other deranged freaks in this place… This is the worst thing to happen to anyone!"

The light-green turtle looked down in worry when Michelangelo let out a painful groan; each wound he'd received fresh and bleeding. Asher curiously poked at one of the shell-plates marking the rim of his shell; it shuddering and falling from place, clearly being ripped out when the Golten tore away from the emerald-green turtle.

"Poor Mikey…" Asher whispered. "H-He's hurt…"

"Yeah…" Cadence agreed, pulling him into a tight hug. "He is; badly… Hopefully, Dex is on rescue again tonight…"

No sooner had she spoken, the side door slid open and Ace peered into the trap-room; a smile playing on his lips but his eyes were wide with fright.

"There's three in here, Dex!" he called. "Yet, the Golten doesn't look like he's going to get up in a hurry!"

Cadence settled Asher beside her as the grass-green turtle ran over to them; Callin and Leonardo following close behind. Leonardo's eyes immediately widened in fear as he sprinted over to Mikey, shakily kneeling beside his younger brother and putting a hand on his shell. Cadence noticed his astonishment and cautiously put a hand over his.

"I'll explain what happened later… We gotta get out of here," she said softly, gladly accepting Callin's help to support her. Ace led them out with Asher clinging onto his shell, while Leonardo shakily followed with Michelangelo on his own. Dexter hastily ran over to join them after shutting the door; Donatello and Raphael cautiously aiding their older brother with Mikey.

"H-He's been injured badly…" Donatello admitted with a soft whimper, gently running his fingers over the edge of the chipped shell-plate on Michelangelo's back. "I… I-I don't think…"

"Donnie, don't say that…" Leonardo put in determinedly; his eyes slightly stern. "We can help him, but first things first… We've got to get out of this horrible place."

"I… I-I could use a hand hacking their security systems…" Dexter spoke up softly, easily getting the young grass-green turtle's attention. "I've tried to hack it alone, but… t-the system's just a little wider than I thought it would be…"

Donatello thought for a while before looking up at Leonardo; who was looking back at a wearily-waking Michelangelo.

"Leo, you wanna go back to leading now?" he asked. Leonardo shook his head, grinning slightly as footsteps approached them; Seeker and Cosmo soon joining their little team.

"I'm not the one to lead here, Donnie… Leave that to Seeker…"

"You heard Leonardo. If it's a plan you want, it's a plan I got," the olive-green turtle admitted, kneeling down and gathering them around him. "So here's what we need to do. Ninjas and Ace, you think you're gain enough to be on keep-away?"

"I always loved a good game of keep-away," Ace sniggered, sharing a grin with Leonardo and Raphael.

"Great. Cosmo, you get Mike to Sarah and Maria; they can keep an eye on him and fix him up," Seeker admitted, glancing at the elder emerald-green turtle. "Then take Cadence and Asher here and gather up everyone's second weapon. We're gonna need them both to take on the Golten."

"I can do that. Let's go, guys," Cosmo urged, sturdily balancing himself as Leonardo helped Michelangelo onto his shell. Soon they were ready and he got up, running in the direction of another row of cells. Callin hastily ran along beside him, glancing back to make sure Cadence and Asher were keeping up with them.

"Come on, you two!" he called.

"Hang on!" Cadence insisted, looking back at their new friends; Asher giggling as he clinged onto her shell, and with a soft laugh, she waved to them.

"See you guys later, okay!?"

"Okay!" the others called back, turning back to Seeker.

"Dex, Don; you two are on hack-patrol. Any system, any fire-wall; break through it. We gotta shut this place down if we wanna get out."

"You up for it, kid?" Dexter questioned, sheathing his bò staff into his gladiator-gear.

"Always!" Donatello replied giddily, running after him into the control room. Seeker then got onto his feet, facing Leonardo, Raphael and Ace.

"Alright boys, time to show these Golten who's really boss!" he smirked. Leonardo and Raphael exchanged a grin, pounding their fists together before punching the air.

"Booyakasha!"

* * *

**:3  
Nyeh, excitement! I am so pumped for the next chapter now! ^^**

**Stay tuned for the next chapter though, readers!  
I'll update this story as soon as I can, I promise!**


	11. Recover and fight!

Leonardo, Raphael and Ace hastily ran after Seeker, stopping when they arrived at the arena. Inside, Sapphire and a few other turtles were waiting their turn out on the field. Seeker knew they weren't going to let that happen. Cautiously he sneaked over to the gate and took a shuriken off Leonardo, sticking one end of it into the lock and wincing a little as it dropped onto the sandy ground below them.

"Sapphire!" the olive-green turtle hissed, waving his hand at the light blue-green turtle. "Bring your friends and get out of there, now!"

While he had called out to them; Leonardo, Raphael and Ace had snuck into the arena, easily keeping up their game of keep-away with the Golten guards; the three of them running about in circles with bursts of laughter.

"Boys!" Seeker then exclaimed, calling them back over. "Let's go!"

"Come on!" Leonardo cried, bolting back towards the gate; Raphael and Ace following at a hasty pace. Just as they reached the gate; a Golten on their tails, Seeker stepped forward and slammed the gate down in front of the creature, quickly re-locking it. Ace sniggered.

"Well, no turtle soup for him tonight," he laughed, following as Seeker jogged off again; the other warriors following close behind. Running past the control room, Dexter lifted his head at the sound of their footsteps and nodded at Donatello; the purple-masked turtle tugging at a lever before him. A loud blaring was heard and from around the centre you could hear a loud thunk; the cells were open!

Seeker quickly gave them a thumbs up and guided the other turtles through the cell-rows; instructing them to scatter through the Wreck Room, and meet Cosmo and the others there to get weapons. Before Leonardo and Raphael could follow through, a voice stopped them.

"Raph; Leo! W-Wait!"

The light-green turtle spun around, catching Raphael's arm to stop him from going on.

"What is it, Don?" he asked as their brother reached them, panting softly. Raphael managed a small grin when he noted he was back in his ninja gear; two dual-sai and double katana sheathed into his belt.

"You guys might need these…" Donatello grinned, holding up his brothers' own ninja-gear. Leonardo and Raphael hastily pulled the gear on before proudly tying their masks into place; the blue-masked turtle retrieving their weapons.

"Nice work, Donnie… Now go; get back to hacking!" Leonardo commanded; Donatello giggling and running back to Dexter. Red and blue exchanged a glance before looking up at Seeker; the olive-green turtle pointing down a row of cells.

"Go down the row; first cell on your left," he instructed, stopping before running out to the Wreck Room. "Sarah wants to see you about your brother."

"… Mikey!" Raph and Leo said in unison, hastily calling Donatello back before the three of them ran down the corridor; taking down any Golten that got in their way.

"Quietly now, guys…" Leonardo admitted softly, pushing open the door to Sarah's cell and leading them inside. The elder dark-green turtle sat against the wall beside her bed, watching Maria fix up anything that was out of place with Michelangelo's stitches. Sarah then looked up when the three ninjas entered.

"How's he doing?" Donatello asked, not expecting an answer right away.

"He's holding on…" Sarah admitted softly, not taking her eyes off the turtles. "Cosmo got him here just in time, for the record…"

"At least it's better than the last revival scores we've done, Sare…" Maria spoke up, sitting beside Michelangelo and gently caressing his shell. "Be grateful…"

"I am…"

Raphael cautiously wandered over to Maria and looked over his younger brother; Michelangelo now fully unconscious. To the red-masked turtle, every stitched-scar and bruise on his forehead and cheek showed up clearly.

"… I feel like this is my fault…" he said softly. Donatello heard him and wandered over, putting a hand on his brother's shell.

"No Raph, it's mine…" he protested. "I shouldn't have let Mikey go out after you… I should have stopped him…"

Leonardo exchanged a glance with Maria; the pale-green turtle nodding as she got up, letting the brothers talk to one another closer.

"It's no one's fault, guys… Just blame the Golten…" he demanded softly. Donatello and Raphael agreed on that, falling silent at once… Not just because they agreed, but because their younger brother was waking up…

"Mikey?" Donatello called softly. Michelangelo shifted slightly and wearily opened his eyes, looking up at his brothers with frightened, drowsy eyes; managing a small half-hearted smile. Raphael and Leonardo exhaled in relief.

"Thank god he's okay…" Raphael sighed.

"B-B-Bros…?" the emerald-green turtle murmured softly, whimpering sharply in pain. Donatello cautiously put a hand over the bandages wrapped around his plastron.

"Shh, Mikey…" he whispered. "You need to keep quiet and stay still…"

"N-Not like I-I can… m-m-move a-anyway…" Michelangelo coughed, putting a hand on his older brother's. Leonardo wandered over and stood beside the purple-masked turtle; the eldest brother looking on at his younger brothers in pity.

"You feeling okay, little brother? That Golten got you quite hard…" he insisted. Michelangelo grunted softly and cautiously traced a healing scar on the side of his plastron.

"I… c-could be better…"

The silence was then suddenly broken at the sound of footsteps running towards them; Seeker, Cosmo and Dexter soon at the door to the cell.

"Ninjas, we need to leave; now! The Golten have found out we're trying to escape!" Dexter insisted; his eyes slightly wide in fright.

"But… Michelangelo's still unstable," Sarah pointed out, determinedly getting to her feet. "I won't allow him to leave until Maria and I have treated him completely."

"Sarah, there's no time. Already the Gladiators are battling them to protect, but it's no use; we're losing the young ones rapidly!"

Michelangelo struggled to sit himself up; Leonardo and Raphael panickly aiding him. The orange-ninja feared the thought of losing Cadence and Asher. He'd already considered them friends…

"W-We gotta go…" he muttered positively, leaning against his older brothers to stay steady. Sarah growled softly.

"We're not going anywhere until you're well…"

"Sarah…" Seeker growled, stepping into the cell and approaching her, grasping the dark-green turtle's hands in his own. "Michelangelo is strong, can't you see? Even with his injuries. The Golten are more a threat to the others now… We'll lose them all if we don't get out of here…"

Sarah's eyes widened a little as she looked at the ninja turtles and back at Seeker; his pale violet eyes slightly stern.

"We need to go…"

The dark-green turtle gave in and nodded, exchanging a glance with Maria; the pale-green turtle giggling softly. Seeker looked back at the ninja turtles.

"Will Michelangelo be steady enough to get out of here?" he asked; Donatello scanning his younger brother cautiously.

"He should be fine. As long as we don't run into any Golten…" the purple-masked turtle admitted, tying his brother's orange mask back over his eyes; hiding any cuts and scars he'd received. "We can't have a repeat of what happened; otherwise we'll all be in trouble."

"C-Can we go a-already?" Michelangelo urged softly. "My friends… A-Are they o-okay?"

"I'm pretty sure they're fine, Mike," Raphael insisted, stepping in-time with Leonardo as the two led their brother out of the cell. "The Gladiators are on protection run."

"Like… we usually are," the blue-masked turtle added; Leonardo looking around to make sure it was clear. "But now, we've got other things to focus on…"

* * *

**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNDDDD I WOULD GO AND POST THE NEXT CHAPTER BUT I'VE GOT WRITER'S BLOCK AGAIN!**

**Yes that was in Caps to emphasize my point X3  
I hope you're all enjoying 'F.A.W.O.T.M.O' so far, guys - I know I'm enjoying writing it ^^**

**But like I said a few chapters back, I've got a week of school left so I'll be updating and writing more of my stories for your entertainment! And maybe, there'll be some new ones ;D**


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